Machine for shearing cloth



July 14, 1925- I 1.545.519

C. G. RICHARDSON mqamn FOR SHEARING CLOTH Filed Feb} 2'7, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,jFivewrv July 14, 1925. 1,545,519

. C. G. RICHARDSON MACHINE FOR SHEARING. CLOTH Filed Feb. 27, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 14, .1925. 1,545,519

C. G. RICHARDSON MACHINE FOR SHE'ARING. CLOTH Filed Feb. 27, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 14, 1925.

c. G. RICHARUSON nuwnl'un FOR snzlmxns CLOTH Filed Feb, 27; 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

- ,JEZ 7".

Patented July 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFIFCE.

'oHAnLEs G. n'rcnannsoiv, OFSPRINGFIEL-D, vnnMoN'r, Assreivon T10 PARKS & WOOLSON MACHINE COMPANY, or SPRINGFIELD, vnnlvronr, a CORPORATION OF VERMONT.

. MACHINE FOR SHEARING GLOTI-L' Application filed February 27, 1920. Serial No. 361,637.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CrIAnLns G. RICHARD- soN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Springfield, inthe county of Windsor and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Shearing Cloth, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for shearing cloth and is intended to provide a simple, reliable and eflicient means for automatically protecting the clothagainst being cut by the shear blade when a fold or sewing or scam or other extra thickness of the fab ric is approaching the shear blade.

In cloth shearing machines it is customary before shearing the nap to sew together the two ends of thepiece'of cloth to form an endless belt thereof in order to facilitate feeding the cloth continuously through the machine anydesired number of times with-- out interruption. This sewing or seam produces a bunch or extra thickness whicln'if allowed to pass between the cloth" rest and shear blade when they are in normal operative relationship to each other, wouldcut and injure the cloth. The same result might occur in caseanyfold or extra thickness of the cloth due to any cause were tobe presented to the eo-operating shear and rest unless they are separated to allow the passage between them c-f such extra thickness. By the present invention the cloth is auton'iatically protected by devices automatically set in action by the seam or fold of the cloth itself as it approaches the shearing blade which devices act to temporarily separate the shear blade from the cloth rest'sulficiently to permit the seam to pass between in action by the seam to effect this movement of the shear blade may be wholly mechanicalor it may be electrically operated or it maybe partly mechanical and partly r electrical in its operation. The principle of the invention is equally applicable to a single blade shear or to a multiple blade shear as will be hereinafter explained. In its main features the invention comprises the combination withfa shear blade nism is so constructed that the shear without injury to the cloth. The means set and a cloth rest; of means for automatically separating the shearfr'om the cloth rest to permit passage of the seam, said automatic means being-set in action through the agency of the approaching seam itself. The mechabe also controlled by hand without interfeI "ing with the automatic mechansm and may be restored to normal operative position by hand so that the operator retains entire con trol independently of the automatic shearblade raislng means if desired.

In the accompanylng drawings I have illustrated several different forms embodying the principles of this invention in which:

Figure, 1 is a side elevation showing the cloth rest, the rotary shear blade and the wholly mechanical; i e

Figure 2 1s a side y elevation similar to Figure 1 showing the application of the meshear blade positioning mechanism which is chanically operated blade resting mechanism applied to a double-blade shear;

Figure 8 is a side elevation ofa modified form o'f the apparatus which is partly electrical in its action; I

Figure 4; is a detail view illustrating the use of anelectric solenoid for both releasing the latch and raisingthe blade; 7

Figure 5 isa side elevation showing the electric solenoid arranged both to releasethe latch and to set in operation amechanical train which raises the blade. i

In Figure 1 I have shown the automatic mechanism for controllng" the position of the shear blade actuated entirely through mechanicalconnections, so much of the shear itself being shown as-will make clear the operation ofthe devicefi f In this case the shear blade mis mounted on the rotary shaft a which is carried in bearings in the blade frame Z) which is pivoted on trunnions b of the machine. The pivotal blade frame 6 isprovided with a hand lever for direct manipulation and has a" thrustlug. b to receive' the thrust or pressure of aco'mpressed spring 0' whose other. end' abuts againstthe arm' elf of the lever d thereby yieldingly pressing the plvotal blade frame'bagainst in the main frame 1" mitswinging movement of said; lever d: to the blade frame and raise or move the blade frame away from the cloth rest.

In order to prevent the blade shifting movement of the lever during the normal operation of the machine I provide a pivoted latch or stop fi nger f arranged to swing into holding engagement witha lug or shoulder d properlylocatedon the arm cl so as to 'ma-intain the' arm jcZ against pivotal "movement.

The cloth rest 0, the ledger blade and the fiockbrush 0 are arranged'in the usual manner and relationship to the travelling cloth whose position'of travel is shown in dotted lines in the different figures.

In the form of the invention shown inFigure 1 there is pivoted immediately in front ofthe cloth rest'a cloth contacting finger or member 7 which fhasoperativeconnection with the latch or stop fingerft by means of .tlielink or connecting rod f.-, the crank lever V andthe link 7. ",Whenthe seam or other extra; thicknessof cloth passes beneath the member f it acts to slightly raise or liftmember f which motion. being itransmitted through the connections leading 'to'the latch 7 moves the'latchfout' ofengagement with the blade moving 'leve'r d to swing on its pivotal axis Runder the tension of the actuating spring Bymeans of the operative engagement between the arm at and the lug bf the shear blade frame'is raised or moved away from the cloth rest to allow the passage between thejblade and the'cloth restof the seam cloth.

provide for the restoration of the shear blade to its normal operative position after the seam has passed the 'bjlade I provide a or "other entra thickness of hand lever [2. having suitable connections,

such: for example" as link it? the lever h and the linkh 'with tlie latchjt to manipulate the latchand also having a further link connection h with the; front endfof. thelever abfor shiftingth e' lever d so as tomove the shear blade either into or; out of normal op'ei'ativeposition as may be desired. .In order to disengage'the latch f from the projection of the lever cl the link ht has .a slotand pin connection asshown at 79? with theIthre e arm leverh which is mounted on i the studor for pivotal support.

Thi le Q Pi en a em P i s a slightlost mot on so as to' perrnit the latch f fil .d wll ese lbei e.m vemen t ansmitted through the link if to the blade shifting lever d. By movement in a forward direction toward the front of the machine or toward the left, according to the illustration in Figure 1, both the lever 01 and the latch f are successively restored to operative position. Movement;of this hand lever 71, toward the rear of the machine or toward the r ght in Figure 1 permits the operator to manua-lly shift the blade from operative relationship to thecloth rest,' thereby maintaining manual control of the shear blade at all times without interfering with the auto matic action caused by the seam actuated 'inember f and its connections leading to the lever 01 already described. I v

In Figure '2 .I have shown how the .Shear blades of a multipleblade shearing machine maybe similarly controlled, in this case the automatic blade shifting mechanism .forica ch blade being controlled by similar trains v of mechanism and the manual control being maintained through separate levjers and link connections of similar construction extendngto each shear blade mechanism whether. i

there be two or more shears, {the "mechanism being dup cated fo e ch sh a :In Figure 3 I have shown how the .o p er ative "control of' the shearfbladeinay be effected through theagency of an electric;

circuit which isautomatically energized by @means of a suitable seam actuated member.

In this case the shear blade a ismounted on the shaft (0 in the p votal frame 6 'movable upon the axis Z) with theadju's'tabletdial screw 6, the lug spring 0 and the arm d' forming part of the lever d with its stop lug (i may be precisely the same in construction and arrangement as that above explained. 1

Inthis case, however, the latch 71 is provided with a projecting arm i engaged by a pinsecu ed to the movablecore or plunger i of, the electric solenoidi". Mounted on the lowerpart of the, f ame is a continuously rotating shaft m", on which is secured a ratchet m a pivoted pawl m mounted on the lever m normally remains out of engagement with said ratchet 'm. by the action of its own unbalanced weight -01" by means of a torsion spring in Adjacent to theupper end ofsaid pawl is pivoted a pawl actuating linger m connected by means of a link m V withthe lower end of the solenoid plunger.

the switch in an electric circuit 0;, the free end of; saidlever forming an electric terminal in said circuit which is normally.

kept open or out ofcontact with the opposing termii'ial? e? by means of a; light tension spring k ;-'1?lie electric circuit m'le'ads to the solenoid z' so that whenithe circuit is closed the Solenoid s energized 'and: the.

plunger 2' which is normally kept in a raised position is drawn downwardly thereby releasingin its first movement the latch 11 from operative engagement with the lever 03. The further traverse of thesolenoid acts to swing the pawl engaging lever m so as to move the pawl into engagement with the continuously rotating ratchet wheel m thereby locking the lever m to'the pawl temporarily and thus pulling down the lever m which, acting through the link connection m pulls down the lever (Z thereby swinging the arm d downwardly to shift the blade away from the cloth rest;

After a short traverse the pawl m strikes against the knock-off plateor bracket m which disengages the pawl from the ratchet to prevent further travel of the arm m The weight of the parts tends to keep the blade frame in its inoperative position away from the clothrest until it is shifted back, to operative position by means of the'hand lever h and its intermediate link and lever connections whose construction and arrangement has already been explained.

' In Figure l- I have illustrated the modification of the actuating mechanism containing the solenoid, by omitting entirely the ratchet and pawl mechanical movement and utilizinga solenoid of sufficient strength to shift the blade frame itself without the intervention of any other mechanism. A In this case the solenoid i has the one-way engagement with the arm 2' through the pin on the solenoid plunger i as shown in Figure 3, but here the solenoid is provided with an additional pin 6 projecting through a slot in the link i which formsa pivotal lost motion connection with the lever d. It will be seen that in both the forms shown in,

Figures 3 and there is provision made for lost motion to permit the latch z to be disengaged from operative connection with the lever 03 before the lever actuating mechanism begins to swing the lever (Z.

A combined mechanical and electrical train of mechanism for controlling the blade frame is shown in Figure 5 in which eonstruction the seam or cloth actuated member in forms a circuit closing member for closing the circuit a; in precisely the manner already described in reference to the form of Figure 3, and other parts of the actuating mechanism may be similar in arrangement to thatalready described in Figure 1 except that an electromagnet p is placed in the electric circuit 00 and is located in position so that its core when magnetized will pull down the soft iron member 32 forming part of the latch 72 so as to disengage thelatch from the blade shifting lever d. As'soon as this disengagement or release of the lever cl has been effected the, tension spring 9 acts to pull down the leverand swingfover the blade frame.

By using the electrom'a'gnet a very much weaker current may be employed than in the casewhere the solenoid is used as the actuating member. The magnet will be much less expensive than the'solenoid besides requiring'a less powerful current to cause it to act.

In all the forms precisely the same manual control may be effectively used and in each case it will be found that proper provision has been made for releasing the latch or de tentbyaseparate connection so as to permit the devices for actuating the blade shiftinglever' to act effectively,

To throwall blades backto operative position simultaneously I provide a shifting rod 9 havlng ratchet teeth arranged to engage pawls 1" carried by angle levers r conin front of each blade, means for automatically shifting each blade out of operative posltion, said shifting means be ng set in operat on througlrthe agency of its corresponding seam actuated member, and man;

ually controlled means located at the front of-the machine to restore each blade singly or all blades together to operativeposition, substantially as described. I

'2. In a cloth shearing machine, the combination'of a pivotally mounted blade frame, a shear bladeoperatively mounted therein,

a blade shifting lever-having yielding spring engagement With-the shear blade frame to maintain the shear normally in operative position and having interlocking engagement with said blade frame to shift it from operative position in the reverse directlon,

'means for actuating said lever in said reverse direction, means for preventing the movement of said lever in said reverse direction, and means controlled by contact with the'cloth approaching the shear blade for releasing said preventing means and allowing the lever actuating mechanism to operate, substantially as described' I 3. In a cloth shearing machine, the combinationwith a cloth rest, of a rotary shear and its movable supporting head, a pivotal lever arranged to normally exert a yielding pressure against the shear support in a direction to maintain the shear in operative shearing position, means tending to move said lever inthe reverse direction to; cause movement of theshear away from the cloth rest, a detent normally acting-to prevent such reverse movement of the lever, and means operated by contact with the traveling cloth seam, approaching the cloth rest,

to release, said detent ;.and,per1nit said lever to shift thei shear to ,inactive. position, substantially as described.

approaching the .cloth rest, to release sald detent and cause said lever, by its automatic .movement, to shiftthe shear, away from the cloth rest, substantially as described. i

5, In a cloth shearing machine, the combination with a cloth rest, :of; a rotary;sl1ear blade and its movable supporting head, a bladeshifting lever acting throughnn interposed spring to yieldinfgly maintain'the head in position whileallowingthe head to bemoved against theaction of saidspr-i-ng .without moving the lever, meansnormally tending to move saidlever in a direction to shift the head and its blade away; from shearing position,-and aseam-controlled detent arranged to prevent such shifting movement until released throughthe action ofa cloth seam approaching the cloth .rest, substantially as described. ,1

6. In a cloth shearing machine, -t-h-e, combination of a movable head, a rotary shear mounted therein, an oscillatory leverarranged to exert a spring thrustin one direction to yieldingly maintain the cloth shear in operative position, means tending to cause movement of said head in a reverse direction to move theshear away from the cloth rest, seam-controlled Imeans acting,

normally to prevent such reverse movement, and hand-shifting means arranged. to shift the.shear-supporting head in either direction at will independently ofthe automatic shear-shifting means, substantially as described.

, 7. Infa -machine for. shearlng cloth, the

eombination of a movable head, a rotary shear member mounted thereon, means; for

normally retaining the shear blade in operative shearing position, seam-controlled means for automatically releasmg the shear fronrshearing position, and a hand lever for shifting the shear to either its operative or inoperative position regardless of the position of the automatic releasing, mechanism, substantially as described.

8. In a cloth shearing. machine, the combination with a clothrest, of: amovable head, arotary shear;mounted-insaid head,

with L said 1, head normally maintaining the shear in shearing -position, means for caus- ,ing said I rock-arm .to shift the shear away from; the (cloth rest, means :for keeping said shifting means inoperative, until released by the action ofthe cloth seam approach ng ative shearing position; through spring tension and tending to shift the shear in the opposite directionwwhen'released, a detent ,operatively connected with a seam-actuatedmember-arranged in front of the shear whereby the cloth seam, approaching the shear, causes the detent to be released and to vpermit movement of the shear to inoperative ,position, and .hand-actuated .meansconnected with both said detent and said-lever to. .restore theuparts to normal -shearing -position, r substantially as described.

10; In a cloth shearing machine, the com- .;bination Witha cloth rest, a rotary shear, a pivotally mounted supporting head therefor, ashifting lever having lost motion con- ;nection With said supporting head to shift the shear to or from operative position while normally maintaining the shear in its operative position, a detent for preventing the: lever from shifting the shear away from. the cloth rest, a cloth-seam actuated .away from saidscloth rests, and seam-actuated elements arranged in advance of the respective shears to release the shifting .mechanism of its shear :as the cloth seam approaches its. clothrest, and manually operated mechanism for. restoring either of said shear bladesseparately or all simultaneouslyto operative position, substantially as described.

:12. In a cloth shearing machine, the 001m *bination of a cloth rest, of a rotary shear Lblade mounted 'in a movable supporting head, I a lever. arranged adjacent to said headland acting upon said head by means ,of an interposed spr ng to maintain the rotaryshear inoperative shearing position, a rock-arm"having lostnotlon connection a'springnormally acting to move said lever to position to shlft said shearvaway from the cloth rest, a detent normally arranged to prevent said spring from actuating said lever, seam-controlled devices arranged to release said detent when set in operation by 1 Contact With the cloth seam approaching the shear, and a hand layer having a link connection with the shlftlng lever and a link connection with the detent whereby the position of the shear may always be controlled independently of the shearing means, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have subscribed the. above specification.

CHARLES G. RICHARDSON.

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